next stop on the mental health listening
and engagement tour is Mental Health
America a group dedicated to helping
Americans get well and stay well mental
health America's mission is prevention
for all early identification and
intervention for those at risk
Integrated Health and Behavioral Health
Services for those who need them here I
met with many inspiring people as I
learned the power of Storytelling and
the responsibility that people with
influence have to speak out even when
you get tired of telling a story over
and over again so when we have
articulate voices um who can speak to
people and and to whom people listen uh
who can say to people that it's okay to
be upfront about mental health
conditions that is okay to reach out to
others that is okay to seek help for
those conditions and it is okay to move
along the road to recovery that's
critically important we have to speak up
not just for ourselves not just for our
loved ones but for our economy um our
country as a whole for our future or
future children or grandchildren I
learned the power of everybody coming
together to fight for mental health in
America I also learned how important it
is for people to be vulnerable and to
express how they're feeling and what
they're going through to Congress it
really does make a difference and change
their perspective on how mental illness
is really affecting so many people as I
continue to grow I want to learn as much
as possible so that I can be the best
advocate for mental health in America
it's like Clifford beers first said I
must fight in the open this is only the
beginning stay with me on my journey to
becoming a stronger mental health
Advocate together we can change
perceptions and increase understanding
about what it means to live well with
mental
illness